Why I'm with Her

There are many reasons to vote for Hillary Clinton, aside from the obvious fact that Donald Trump would be a danger to our country if he should win the presidency. Listed below are just five from a list of many very good reasons:

1. She’s qualified.

To say that Hilary Clinton is qualified is like saying chocolate cake is is delicious. Here’s a list of her accomplishments that make us all look lack luster and just plain lazy:

• She was elected Senior Class President of Wellesley College
• Graduated with honors from Yale Law School before completing another year of graduate studies.
• Worked on Presidential campaigns of Barry Goldwater (1964), George McGovern (1972), and Jimmy Carter (1976)
• Took a “summer job” on Senator Walter Mondale’s committee for migrant workers in 1971
• Chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Committee while husband Bill Clinton was Governor
• Co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
• Named one of the 100 most powerful lawyers in America by the National Law Journal in 1988 AND 1991
• 8 Years as First Lady of the United States
• Served as US Senator from New York
• Served as US Secretary of State

2. She has championed some AMAZING causes.

One of Secretary Clinton’s greatest achievements is the Global Health Initiative (GHI), introduced in 2010. Designed to put a focus on maternal an infant health, the GHI has implemented strategy to improve medical facilities, reduce the spread of HIV, and lower infant and maternal mortality rates. Beyond individual achievements, Clinton has made it her life’s mission to ensure the world knows one simple thing: that “human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights.” In every position she has held, the former First Lady has fought to bring women closer to equality. Bringing issues like women’s health, equal pay, and domestic viotence to the forefront, she has never stopped making cracks in the glass ceiling.

3. Her Stance on the Issues

One of the most important reasons to vote for Hillary Clinton (or any candidate) is that her views line up with yours. If you agree with her on the subjects below, you may have just found your candidate.

• She’s pro equal rights for LGBT community
• She opposes using “religious freedom” to justify cutting access to health care and discrimination
• She understands economic inequality – and wants to fix it
• She supports common sense gun legislation
• She knows the criminal justice system in this country is broken
• She wants to fix Citizen’s United
• She supports other women in the climb toward equality
• She supports American workers
• She’s Pro-Choice

4. First Gentleman Bill Clinton

The job of the first spouse is an important one. In addition to serving as a public facefor the White House, the first spouse is expected to take an active role in social activism, and holds a significant advisory role. Who is better suited for this position than one of the most charismatic presidents our country has ever seen?

No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, you have to admit: that charm is hard to say “no” to.

5. It’s About Damn Time

When a woman takes up the mantle of “Leader of the Free World,” our nation will cross a line, never to return. I’m not saying that Hillary Clinton becoming president will magically create nationwide gender equality, because it won’t. But when we join the ranks of countries like Germany, Denmark, and Chile by placing a woman as our Head of State, a new generation will grow up with an altered view of what a woman can do.

When women take on leadership roles, the way women are perceived and talked about changes. In just the last half-century, the way women are discussed in the media has changed dramatically. Because we are now seeing more women as senators and governors who are endeavoring to create laws that improve the lives of women, the public is beginning to  perceive them in a different way than the Baby Boomer generation did. Unfortunately (for now), I can only imagine the discourse of a generation that grew up with a woman in the Oval Office.

Stress Management Tests

Many people in today’s fast-paced environment feel stressed. People are so over-scheduled and challenged with trying to balance activities and responsibilities that they forget to take care of themselves. Those caught up in such a fast-paced, stressful lives and who are not managing the stress of their lifestyles, may find themselves experiencing  job burn-out and falling victim to stress-related illnesses. Learning about stress and stress management tests is the first step to coping with stressors.

What is Stress?

Stress is the body’s response to the pressures and demands of our environment. Stress can stem from pressure at work or from problems, worries, and concerns at home and with friends and family.  Regardless of the source of stress, the result can be both an external response that has a profound physical effect and an internal interpretation that reflects varying personalities and has an effect on emotional well-being.

What are the Symptoms and Effects of Stress?

Stress can be caused by any environmental demands or pressures that threaten one’s coping strategies. A certain amount of stress is a normal part of life. However, excessive stress for prolonged periods of time is the kind of stress that has negative impact on one’s physical and emotional health. 

Stress symptoms can take both physical and psychological forms. Stress can contribute to severe and chronic headaches, muscle tension in the neck and back, irritable bowel syndrome, weight loss, and even heart attacks. Psychological or emotional illness from stress results from the inability to cope with life demands and life changes. Such stress can result in nervous conditions, anxiety and depression.

What is the Treatment for Stress-Related Disorders? 

Treatment for stress may include anxiety medication, tranquilizers, and antidepressants. Additional treatment approaches include meditation and relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, as well as regular exercise. Massage therapy is frequently recommended to relieve the muscle tension that accompanies stress. Cognitive therapy is sometimes prescribed to help stressed individuals learn to reinterpret the stressors in their lives and better cope with them. Stress management programs effectively help evaluate the sources of stress and often focus more on job related sources of stress.

How Can One Determine if He or She is Stressed?

Doctors can determine if a patient is overly stressed by taking a history of the patient’s personal stressors and by evaluating the patient’s personality. There are personality and psychological tests that primary care physicians, psychologists or psychiatrists can use to determine the amount of stress a patient is experiencing and how well they are able to cope. In addition, people who suspect they are overly stressed can locate and take similar personality and stress tests themselves without the assistance or supervision of a doctor.

What are Stress Management Tests?

Stress management tests are personality tests and self-assessment resources that help one better understand the role stress plays in his or her life. Understanding such factors is the first step to handling a stressful life.

How Can One Determine the Validity of Stress Management Tests?

In order to determine the validity of a stress test one must first understand the kinds of stress tests and what they are designed to do. The most common stress test is the simple pen and paper test which asks questions designed to determine where a person is in life, what one does, and what troubling concerns one has. There are many stress tests available in books, magazines and on the Internet. Some are useful and some not so useful because of being subjective. There are valid and useful stress tests one can take, and one’s doctor can assist in locating reliable ones.

Where Can Stress Management Tests Be Found? 

Anyone wanting to take a reliable personality or stress test can consult his or her physician for valid tests to take. There are many tests on the Internet that are reliable. There are multiple reliable self-tests offered in articles on About.com. One is called “Personality Tests for Stress Relief”. The other is called “Stress Tests / Personality Tests / Stress Assessment”.  Those stress test resources, as well as other website links to online stress tests, are listed in the Resources section of this article.

How Can One Reduce Stress?

Once the stress test has been taken to determine the level of stress and the coping abilities, one should try to reduce stress and stressors. Stress management techniques may include self-hypnosis or guided imagery to get into a relaxed state, journaling thoughts and ideas, meditation and Yoga, deep breathing exercises, cardio and strength-training exercises, music therapy, aroma therapy, eating a healthy diet, and practicing time management skills. Stress can be conquered if one attempts to identify it, understand it, and manage it. Henry David Thoreau summed it up most  aptly in saying, “In the long run, men only hit what they aim at.”

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I am the author of three award-winning children's books that aim to advocate for the well-being, education, and entertainment of children. The books include What Would You Do? A Kid's Guide to Staying Safe in a World Strangers (published by Headline Books, Inc.), Scary Ghosts and Playful Ghosts: Children's Tales of Fright and Delight (published by Crimson Cloak Publishing), and The Bully and the Booger Baby: A Cautionary Tale (published by Write Solution Ink).
Purchase information for these books can be accessed via my Amazon Author Page.

Readers may also access book information, as well as useful information and resources that advocate for the education, well-being and entertainment of children by visiting my book website, Melissa Harker Ridenour Books.